Victory Day (Azerbaijan)

Overview

Victory Day (Azerbaijan) — Azerbaijani: Zəfər Günü — is a public holiday in Azerbaijan observed on 8 November, commemorating Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war with Armenia. It was established by an order of the President of Azerbaijan dated 3 December 2020 and is a non-working day under Azerbaijan’s Labor Code (Office of the President of Azerbaijan).

The date marks the day on which, in the Azerbaijani official account, the city of Shusha was liberated during the 44-day war, an event President Ilham Aliyev announced from the Alley of Martyrs in Baku with the words “Dear Shusha, you are free!” (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). This is not the same holiday as Azerbaijan’s 9 May Day of Victory over Fascism, which commemorates the Second World War victory over Nazi Germany, nor any other country’s Victory Day (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). Azerbaijan calls the 2020 war the Patriotic War (AzerNews); this profile uses that name as attributed usage.

Why 8 November

The date is tied to Shusha, a city that holds a special place in the history, culture and hearts of the Azerbaijani people, in the words of the President’s official holiday record (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). According to that account, Azerbaijani forces liberated Shusha on 8 November 2020 after 44 days of military operations that also retook the Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan and Gubadli districts and more than 300 settlements (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). On that day, President Aliyev addressed the people from the Alley of Martyrs in Baku: “Dear Shusha, you are free! Dear Shusha, we are back! Dear Shusha, we will revive you! Shusha is ours! Garabagh is ours! Garabagh is Azerbaijan!” (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). Considering the historic significance of that day, 8 November was declared Victory Day by presidential order dated 3 December 2020 (Office of the President of Azerbaijan).

The 2020 war in brief

Fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh began on 27 September 2020; Azerbaijan’s official account describes an Armenian attack on civilians and army positions followed by an Azerbaijani counter-offensive to end the occupation and implement United Nations Security Council resolutions (Office of the President of Azerbaijan). A Russian-brokered peace deal, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, ended weeks of heavy fighting with a ceasefire under which the sides kept the positions they held — a significant gain for Azerbaijan, including the key town of Shusha (Agence France-Presse). The deal provided for a Russian force of 1,960 peacekeepers along the front line and the Lachin corridor linking the region to Armenia, and for Armenia to return the Aghdam, Kalbajar and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan (Agence France-Presse). Notably, the agreement made no mention of the future status of the Armenian-populated areas of Nagorno-Karabakh or of the format of future negotiations (Agence France-Presse).

How the day is marked

The holiday is marked by military parades and official ceremonies. The first Victory Parade was held at Azadlig Square in Baku on 10 December 2020, with more than 3,000 personnel and up to 150 pieces of military equipment on display, including captured equipment, and with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attending (AJMEDIA). Five years on, a parade at Azadlig Square on 8 November marked the fifth anniversary, attended by Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with Turkish soldiers marching and Pakistani soldiers participating for the first time (AzerNews). In his 2025 parade speech, Aliyev said more than 300 settlements had been liberated, that Shusha’s liberation had broken the Armenian army, and that more than 60,000 people had resettled under the Great Return programme (AzerNews).

Holiday	Date	Commemorates
Victory Day (Zəfər Günü)	8 November	Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war; the liberation of Shusha
Day of Victory over Fascism	9 May	The Second World War victory over Nazi Germany
National Flag Day	9 November	Adoption of the national flag in 1918

Source: Office of the President of Azerbaijan. The 9 May and 9 November entries are included to disambiguate Victory Day from its nearest neighbours in Azerbaijan’s calendar.

Frequently asked questions

What is Victory Day in Azerbaijan? Victory Day (Zəfər Günü) is an Azerbaijani public holiday on 8 November commemorating Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war with Armenia. It was established by a presidential order dated 3 December 2020 and is a non-working day under the country’s Labor Code, distinct from the 9 May Second World War holiday.

Why is Victory Day on 8 November? Because 8 November 2020 is the day on which, in the Azerbaijani official account, the city of Shusha was liberated during the 44-day war. President Aliyev announced the liberation from the Alley of Martyrs in Baku that day, and the date was later chosen to anchor the new holiday.

Is Victory Day a day off work in Azerbaijan? Yes. Azerbaijan’s Labor Code lists Victory Day (8 November) among the holidays considered days off, alongside New Year, International Women’s Day, the Day of Victory over Fascism, Independence Day and others. No employee works on days off except in cases specified by the Labor Code.

How is Victory Day celebrated? With military parades and official ceremonies, above all a parade at Azadlig Square in Baku. The first Victory Parade took place on 10 December 2020, and the fifth anniversary in 2025 featured Turkish and Pakistani troops marching alongside Azerbaijani forces, with speeches by the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Pakistani leaders.

What this profile does not claim

• It does not adjudicate the contested causes, conduct or consequences of the 2020 war: the Azerbaijani government’s account is reported as attributed, and Armenian positions are not covered from sources read in full here.
• It does not state casualty figures for the war, which vary widely between sources and were not verified from sources read in full.
• It does not cover events after the holiday’s establishment — including the 2023 offensive, the displacement of the region’s Armenian population, and the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers — which post-date the holiday and would need their own sourced treatment.
• It does not assert observances beyond those verified in full (the 2020 and 2025 parades); other years’ celebrations are not described.
• It does not present the presidential order’s text: the order’s date (3 December 2020) is taken from the President’s official holiday record.